Plate clamp



. Sept. 17.v 1940. A. M. zUckERMAN PLATE CLAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 2l. 1938 Jill/lill.

Sept 17, 1940. A. M. zucKERMAN PLATE CLAMP Filed Feb. 2l, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheetl 2 Patented Sept. 17, 1940 UNITED NSTATES PATENT orifice PLATE CLAMP Adolph M. Zuckerman, New York, N. Y., assignor to R. Hoe & Co., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 21, 1938, Serial No. 191,771 9 claims. (c1. 10i- 378) This invention relates to printing plate clamps edges of adjacent plates, the .clips being simulandinoreparticularly to clamps of the type emtaneously movable by a rotary. member to and ployed to secure a plurality of rigid printing from each other to provide variable margin plates in accurate Vpredeterr'nined position on spaces between the plates, the rotary member bethe plate support or plate cylinder of a printing ing operated by a portable manually-operable 5- machine. I l* tool and held against unintentional rotation by In printing practice, where stereotype or simia yieldable detent. l lar plates are employed, the plates are clamped A more specific object of this invention is to on the plate supports or cylinders by means oi provide an improved plate clamp for clamping V10 clips which'overhang the `edges of the plates and a plurality of plates on a plate support or cylin- 10 by Which the' plates are clamped against a suitder, the clamp including clips for engaging the ableabutment, so that they are rigidly held in edges of adjacent plates, a screw having right position during the printing operation. In and left hand threads 'operably engaging the printing certain products the printing is usually clips to move them relative to each other, a gear effected on printing machines in which the carried by the screw, a portable manually op- 15 plate supportsk are cylinders capacitated to carry erable tool constructed and arranged to opa number of plateswidthwise or in the direction erably engage the gear of the screw to rotate ef the axis ef the cylinder. vBetween two adiathe Screw t0 thereby move the Clips te and from t. cent plates arey formed what are usually termed each other in accordance with the direction of marginspaces, that is, spaces in which no printrotation of the manually operable tool, a tooth 20 ingjis effected, se that the desired margin bemember carried by the screw. and a yieldeble tween the pages is produced, and, at times, it detent operably engagingthe tooth member to isl desirable' to provide margin spaces of diferhold the screw against unintentional rotation. ent widths. The modern tendency is to print` It is also an object of this invention to prothe largest possible area from the plates clamped vide a plate clamp of generally improved con- 25 or secured to the plate or form cylinder, construction whereby the device will be simple, dursequently it is highly desirable that the marable and inexpensive in construction, as well as gin space between adjacent plates be reduced to convenient, practical, serviceable `and eliicient inthe minimum. Heretofore the reduction of this its use.

margin space was hampered by the construc- With the foregoing and other objects in vieW, 3l)

tion and arrangement of the clips employed, so which will appear as the description proceeds, that when the clips were adjusted to the limit the invention resides in the combination and arof their adjustable movement a relatively wide rangement of parts, and in the detailsof conmarginal space still remained thereby reducing struction hereinafter described and claimed, it

the area available for printing matter. being understood that various changes in form, 35

An object of this invention is to'provide an proportion, and minor details of construction improved plate clamp having intermediate clips may be made within thescope of the claims withwhich engage the edges of adjacent plates, and out departing from the spirit or sacricing any which are readily movable to provide the deadvantages of the inventionl 40 sired' margin space between these plates, and For a complete disclosure'of the invention a 4() which clips are constructed and arranged to detailed description of it Will now be given in provide margins of minimunv dimensions, thus connection with the accompanying drawings liberating the greatest possible area of the print; forming a part of the specification, wherein: ing cylinder for printing matter. Figure 1 is a fragmental elevational view del.lnmtiier object ofy this invention is to provide rioting one end of a plate cylinder 0r Support t0 45 a plate clamp having clips for engaging the which a plurality of printing plates are secured edges of adjacent platesA and which clips are by the improved plate clamping means, readily movable to and from each other to pro- Figure 2 is a fragmental longitudinal sectional vide margin spaces between adjacent plates of View taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1,

predetermined dimensions, the clips being moved Figure 3 is a fragmental transverse sectional 50 v by a suitable tool vconstructed and arranged to view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure l, engage and operate a component of the clip Figure 4 is an enlarged detailed longitudinal structure. sectional View depicting the improved adjustable further ,obje/ct this invention is to pro-l clips and showing the portable tool as applied to vide a plate clamphaving clips for engaging the the clip operating screw, v l 5.5

Figure 5 is an enlarged detailed transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4, parts appearing in elevation, and

Figure 6 is a fragmental longitudinal detailed sectional View depicting a modified form of clip adjusting mechanism.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts, there is depicted a plate cylinder or a plate support I 0 arranged to support a plurality of printing plates P. A center ring II of conventional construction extends circumferentially around the intermediate portion of the plate or form cylinder periphery, and this ring is preferably formed of segments I2 which are suitably secured to the cylinder Il) and received within annular grooves I3 formed in the peripheral portion of the plate cylinder ID. The intermediate portion of each center ring segment I3 is provided with an upstanding rib I5 having opposed overhanging or dove-tailed lips I5 to engage the beveled arcuate inner edges of the inner or central plates P, as best seen in Figures l and 2.

Longitudinally-extending recesses I6 are formed in the peripheral portion of the plate cylinder adjacent each end thereof, and longitudinally extending grooves I1 and I6 extend inwardly from the recess I6 and communicate therewith. Each groove I8 is stepped or positioned inwardly from a groove 1, and each groove I1, in turn, is stepped or positioned inwardly from a recess I6, and these grooves I1 and I6 and recesses I6 operably receive plate locking components to be hereinafter disclosed. An annular recess 26 is formed at each end of the plate `cylinder I6 and receives therein an annular b earer 2l of conventional construction. Although only one end of the plate cylinder has been depicted in the drawings, it is to be understood that both ends of the cylinder may be similarly constructed and arranged. An annular plate or keeper 22 is suitably secured to each end of the cylinder I6 adjacent the cylinder periphery, and this plate abuts the outer terminal of the bearer 2|, as best seen in Figures l and 2. Arcuate recesses 23 are formed in the plate 22 for the reception of operating gears to be hereinafter described. Longitudinally-extending bores 25 are formed in the bearer 2l for the reception of clip screw rods 26. The outer terminal of each rod 26 is reduced,` as indicated at 21, and is received within a bearing aperture 28 formed in the plate 22. A pinion 3l] is rigidly secured to the reduced portion 21 of each screw rod 26 and is received within the arcuate recess 23 formed in the plate 22. Two screw rods 26 are preferably provided for each longitudinal or axial row of plates P, and, in order to simultaneously rotate both screw rods, a gear 3l is positioned in the recess 23 and meshes with the pinions 30, and this gear is rigidly secured to a stub shaft 32 rotatably received in a bearing bore 33 formed in the bearer 2l. The outer terminal of the stub shaft 32 is enlarged to provide a wrench-engaging head 34, so that a suitable wrench, not shown, may be employed to rotate the gear 3l and pinions 36 to simultaneouslyrrotate the clip screw rods 26. Each clip screw rod 26 is provided with an inwardly extending threaded portion or screw 35 which is threadedly received Within the body portion of an end clip 36, and each end clip 36 is provided with an overhanging or dove-tailed lip 31 to engage the outer arcuate beveled edge of the outermost plate P in each longitudinal or axial row of plates. Each clip 36 is mounted for longitudinal sliding movement in a groove I1, and it is retained therein by opposed caps or bars 38 which are suitably secured to the cylinder IU and received within the recesses I6 and are provided with beveled surfaces 4i] which engage the beveled surfaces 4I formed at the outer portion of each end clip body 36, as best seen in Figure 3, to thus slidably retain the end clip body 36 within the grooves I1. Inasmuch as the clip screw rods 26 are held against longitudinal movement, it is manifest that rotation of the rods 26 and end screws 35 will cause the end clips 36 to move longitudinally within the grooves I1, and the direction of movement of the clips being determined by the direction of rotation of the Screws 35.

As hereinbefore stated, it is highly desirable in rotary printing machines of the magazine and other types which employ stereotype, electrotype,

or similar printing plates to provide means for so securing the plates to the cylinders that small marginal spaces are provided between the plates, and which spaces may be made adjustable in order that plates of different size may be suitably received and located on the peripheral surface of the cylinder. The modern tendency is to crown as much printing matter as possible on the plate cylinder, therefore the provision of means for providing relatively small but adjustable margin spaces between adjacent plates is highly advantageous in the art. To this end two inner clips 42 are slidably received Within the grooves I1 at` points intermediate the center ring Il and the outer terminals of the cylinder. The bodies of the inner clips 42 are slidably retained within the grooves I1 by means of caps or bars 43 similar to the caps 36, and the beveled surfaces 45 of these bars slidably engage the beveled surfaces 46 of the inner clip bodies 42, to thus slidably retain the inner clips within the groove I1. At the adjacent terminals of the clip bodies 42 upstanding clip segments 41 are provided having overhanging or dove-tailed lips 48 to engage the arcuate beveled edges of adjacent plates P. By positioning the clip segments 41 at the extreme inner or adjacent terminals of the clip bodies 42,

a very narrow margin space may be provided between adjacent plates P. In the preferred arrangement illustrated, each clip body 42 has ra threaded aperture 50 extending axially therethrough, and the threads in one clip body 42 and disposed in right hand direction and those in the other clip body disposed in left hand direction. An inner clip screw 5I is provided for each pair of inner clips, and each screw 5I is preferably provided with a left hand threaded portion 52 which threadedly engages the threaded aperture 5I) of one of the clip bodies 42 and a right hand threaded portion53 which threadedly engages the threaded aperture 50 of the other inner clip body 42, as best seen in Figure 4 of the drawings. The threaded portions 52 and 53 of the screw 5I are positioned adjacent the center portion of the screw, and at one terminal of the screw 5I a helical gear 55 is suitably secured to thereby rotate with the screw. To the opposed end of the iscrew 5I a lock or detent wheel 56 is rigidly secured, and the peripheral portion of the lock wheel 56 is provided with a plurality of axially extending recesses 51 defined between rounded projections or teeth, and the reduced terminal 58 of a detent spring .60 engages the recesses to hold the locked wheel 56 andy center clip screw 5I against unintentional rotation, the spring 60 being secured to one of the clip bodies 42 by screws 6I or other suitable securing devices, as best seen in Figure 4 of the drawings. The spring 60 and its 'securing members 6I ex# tend below the groove I1 into the groove I8, and the inner clipl assembly, includingl the inner clip screw 5I, inner clip .bodies 42, clip'segments 41, lock wheel 56 and gear 51, is mounted for free longitudinal or axial sliding movement in the groove I1. Access is had to the gear 55through the'axial space or recess 62 'provided between the spaced caps or bars 43. A filling-in piece or bridge plate 63 is suitably secured to the cylinder I and is received Within each recess I6 between the inner c lipassembly and the end clip assembly to-suitably support the end plates, and

ring segments 64 are also secured to the cylinder I0 and are received Within circumferential eX- tending recesses -64' formed in the peripheral portion of the plate cylinder I0 at the inner terminals of the longitudinal recesses I6 and grooves I1 and I8.

In order to rotate thel inner clip screw 5I to thereby move the inner clips to and from each other, an operating tool 65 is provided which is best shown in Figures 4 and 5, and this tool includes a tubular body 66 having a bore 61 extending axially therethrough to rotatably receive therein a shaft 68 having a helical gear 10 rigidly secured to one terminal thereof or formed integral therewith, which gear is received in an enlarged annular recess 1I formed in a head 12 carried by the tubular member 66. The shaft 6B extends outwardly beyond the tubular member 66, and this shaft is keyed or otherwise rigidly secured to a sleeve 13, as indicated at 14. The sleeve 13 is provided with an enlarged knurled manipulating head 16, and by simply rotating the knurled head16 rotary motion is imparted to the helical gear 10 through the interposed sleeve 13 and shaft 61. The tubular member 66 is provided with an arcuate seat or saddle portion 11, which is shaped to accurately conform to the peripheral surface of the cylinder I0. The gear 16 is of such width as to be rotatably received within the recess or space 62 provided betwen the spaced caps or bars 43 to permit the gear 10 to operably mesh with the helical gear 55, and when the gears 10 and 55 are in mesh relation, a portion 80 of the enlarged head 1I is also received within the space or recess 62 dened between the bars 43, and it is cut away, as indicated at 8| in Figure 4, to iit over the axial terminals of the gear 55 to thereby aid in holding the gears 55 and 10 in meshing relation so that the inner clip screw 5I may be rotated through the instrumentality of the operating tool 65 to adjust the clips to and lfrom each other in accordance with the printing requirement.

In operation, a plurality of arcuate plates P are positioned on the peripheral portion of the plate or form cylinder III with the beveled edges of the innermost plates engaging the beveled locking lips I5 of the center ring I3. The plates are located in longitudinal or axial rows by positioning one straight beveled edge of each plate P against the upstanding lip 86 of axially alined margin bars 81 of usual construction, as best shown in Figures l and 3. The outer edge of the outermost plate P of each axial row of plates is engaged by the locking lips 31 of the end clips 36, and `the adjacent edges of the inner and outer plates are engaged by the locking lips 48 of the inner clip segments 41. Prior `to positioning the end plates on the cylinder I0; the manipulating tool 65 is positioned with its saddle or arcuate seat 11 resting against the peripheral portion of the cylinder I6 andwith the helical gear 1I)` and a portion 80 of the enlarged gear housing or head 12 extending into the .recess 62 formed between the caps or bars 43, thus positioning` the helical gear 10 to mesh with the' helical gear 55. In this positionthe manipulatingtool 65 is disposed tangentially with relation to lthe plate lcylinder IU, and the operator, by holding the tubular member 66 and head 12 with one hand, and turning the knurled manipulating head 16 with the other hand, rotates the inner clip screw 5I, thus causing its right and left hand threaded portions 52 and 53 to move the clip segments 41 to and from each other in accordance with the direction of rotation of the manipulating head 16. With this arrangement, a margin .spacey of required dimension may be provided, and, inasmuch as the gear 55 is positioned outside of the inner clip bodies 42, the clip segments 41 may be moved inwardly to abutting relation, thus providing a margin space of minimum dimension, thereby liberating a great portion or" the printing cylinder for printing matter. After the inner clips have been adjusted to provide the required margin space between .the adjacent plates P, the manipulating tool 65 is removed and then` the end plates are positioned on the cylinder ready for the locking up operation. A suitable wrench or other tool of conventional construction, not shown, is then moved to engagement with the wrench-engaging head 3d to rotate the gear 3i, which, in turn, rotates the pinions Sil. Rotation of the pinions 36 cause the endclip screws 35 to rotate so that their threads by operable en-` gagement withv the 'threaded"apertures of the clip bodies 66 move the clips inwardlywith their lockingl lips 3"? in engagement with the outer beveled' edge of the outermost plate. Continued locking movement causes the end clips to force the end plates P against the outside inner clip segments di, andthen the inside inner clip segments i1 force the inner plates P againstthe center ring` clips i5', thereby locking both plates on the peripheral surface of the cylinder with the required margin space provided between the adjacent outer and inner plates. By this arrangement, the inner clips canbe quickly and conveniently adjusted with relation to each other to provide the required margin space, and after adjustment will remain locked in required position. Furthermore, by arranging the inner clip assembly so that its operating 4and'loclri'ng instrumentalities are positioned on the screw 5I outside of the inner clips 42, the clip segments 41 may be moved towards each other to abutting relation so that the smallest possible margin space is provided, thus leaving the maxi-- mum cylinder surface available for printing mat- In Figure 6 a slightly modified form of the clip arrangement is disclosed, in which a screw 5I is provided having a threaded portion 52 which threadedly engages the axial aperture 50 formed in one of the clip bodies 42. .The opposed clip body 42 is provided with an unthreaded axial aperture 50 for the reception of a reduced cylindrical portion 53 of the screw 5I. An annular shoulder 53a is defined between the cylindrical portion 53 and the inner termina] of the threaded portion 52 of the screw .5I to abut the inner terminal of the clip body 42,'. A sleeve 53h is pinned or otherwise suitablysecured to the cylindrical portion 53', and

Cil

one terminal abuts the outer terminal of the clip body 42 to thereby secure the screw 5l' in swiveled relation to the clip body 42'.

The remaining cooperating components of the clip arrangement are similar to those hereinbefore disclosed, and it is manifest that when the screw 5l is rotated that the clip bodies 42, 42 and their arcuate segments 41 will move to and from each other in the manner hereinbefore disclosed.

It is to be understood that any preferred number of plates may be placed axially on the plate cylinder Ill and in arrangements where more than two plates are located to one side of a xed clip ring then an additional inner clip assembly is interposed between the additional plate. The construction, operation and arrangement, however,'of the additional inner clip assembly is similar to the arrangement hereinbefore disclosed.

It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and it will be further understood that each and every novel feature and combination present in or possessed by the mechanism herein disclosed forms a part of the invention included in this application.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is:

1. In a printing plate clamp, the combination of a plate cylinder having an axially-extending groove formed therein adjacent its peripheral plate-supporting surface, two intermediate clips slidably received within the groove, opposed bars rigidly supported by the cylinder and the outer surfaces of the bars forming continuations of the peripheral plate-supporting surface of the plate cylinder, the bars engaging the clips to slidably retain them in the groove and the adjacent edges of the bars being located adjacent each other to dene a slot therebetween, clip segments projecting outwardly from the clips through the said slot to engage the edges of the plates, a rotatable member operably engaging the clips, and a helical gear carried by the rotatable member and located adjacent the said groove and adapted to be operated by a tool which has a rotatable component which extends through the slot to rotate the said rotatable member and thereby move the said clips relative to each other.

2. In a printing plate clamp, the combination of a plate cylinder having an axially-extending recess formed in the peripheral portion thereof, an axially-extending groove formed in the cylinder and extending radially inwardly from the said recess, two intermediate clips slidably received within the groove, opposed bars rigidly supported by the cylinder in the said recess and the outer surfaces of the bars forming continuations of the peripheral plate-supporting surface of the plate cylinder, the bars engaging the clips to slidably retain them in the groove'and the adjacent edges of the bars being located adjacent each other to dei-lne a slot therebetween, clip segments projecting outwardly from the clips through the said slot to engage the edges of the plates, a rotatable member operably engaging the clips, and a helical gear carried by the rotatable member and located adjacent the said groove and adapted to be operated by a tool which has a narrow rotatable component which extends through the slot to .rotate the said rotatablemember and thereby move the said clips relative to each other.

3. In a printing plate clamp, the combination of a plate cylinder having an axially-extending groove formed therein adjacent its peripheral plate supporting surface, twoV intermediate clips slidably received in the groove, opposed bars rigidly supported by the cylinder and the outer surfaces of the bars forming continuations of the peripheral plate-supporting surface of the cylinder, the bars engaging the clips to slidably retain them inY the groove and adjacent edges of the bars being located adjacent each other to define a slot therebetween, clip segments projecting outwardly from the .clips through the said slot to engage the edges of the plates, a rotatable member operably engaging the clips, and a helical gear carried by the rotatable member and 1ocated immediately adjacent the groove and adapted to be operated by a tool which rotatably 'i supports a narrow helical gear which extends through the slot into meshing engagement with the helical gear of the rotatable member to thereby move the clips relative to each other.

4. In a printing plate clamp, the combination f of a plate cylinder having an axially-extending groove formed therein adjacent its peripheral plate-supporting surface, two intermediate clips slidably received within the groove, opposed bars rigidly supported by the cylinder and the outer surfaces of the bars forming continuations of the peripheral plate-supporting surface of the plate cylinders, the bars engaging the clips to slidably retain them in the groove and the adjacent edges of the bars being located immediately adjacent slot perpendicularly to the screw gear and meshes therewith to rotate the said screw to thereby move the clips relative to each other.

5. In a plate clamping device adapted to secure a printing plate to a form cylinder of a printing machine, the form cylinder having a longitudinal slot formed in its surface, a body member movable in the longitudinal slot and having a plate holding clip overlappingly engaging an edge of the plate, a screw threadingly engaging the body member and movable in the slot with it, the said l screw being rotatable to move the body member therealong, and a helical gear secured to the screw and adapted to be engaged while it is in any position throughout the length of its travel in the slot by a driving gear which extends through the slot and has its axis in a plane substantially perpendicular -to a plane containing the axis of the screw, whereby the screw may be rotated without hindrance in any portion of its travel.

6. In a printing plate clamp, a plate support having a slot formed therein, a movable plate clip adapted to engage the edge of the plate to secure the plate on the support, a screw threadedly engaging the clip, said screw being rotatable to move the clip therealong, and a helical gear secured to the screw and adapted to be engaged by a member which extends through the slot to rotate the screw.

"I, In a printing plate clamp, a plate support having a slot formed therein, a movable plate clip adapted to engage the edge of the plate to secure the plate on the support, a screw threadedly engaging the clip, said screw being rotatable to move the clip therealong, a helical gear secured to the screw and adapted to be engaged by a member which extends through the slot to rotate the screw, and yeldable means for holding the screw against rotation relative to the clip.

8. In a printing plate clamp, a support for a plurality of printing plates, the support having a slot formed therein, separate cooperable clips located between adjacent plates to engage the edges of the plates to secure them on the support, a screw threadedly engaging the clips, the screw being rotatable to move the clips relative to `each other, and a. helical gear secured to the screw and adapted to be engaged by a member which extends through the slot to rotate the screw.

9. In a printing plate clamp, asupport for a plurality of printing plates, the support having a slot formed therein, two clips located between adjacent plates and having threaded apertures, a screw having right and left hand threads, the right hand threads operably engaging the threaded aperture of one clip and the left hand threads operably engaging the threaded apertures of the other clip, the screw being rotatable to move the clips relative toeach other, and a helical gear secured to the screw and adapted to be engaged by a member which extends through the slot to rotate the screw.

ADOLPI-I M. ZUCKERMAN.` 

